Warp printing machine



J. ZIMMERMANN. WARP PRINTING MACHINE. mPPLlcATloN map SEPT. 1. 1915.

Patented-Aug. 22, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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1. ZIMMERMANN. WAR? PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I, 19I5. l l 95, 322 Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

' 3 SHEETS-*SHEET 2- H. L II I II Il II J II l II J. ZIMMIRMA-NN. WAHPPRINTING MACHINE. APPLlcATIoN FILED SEPT. 1, |915.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

om 59 Gu l l N. IMNNKNH TUHH ZIMMERMANN, OIF PHLADELPHX, PENNSYLVANIA. v

wane-rainwater Maestria.

messes.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Aug. 22, Matti.

Application filed September l, 1915'. Serial No. 48,377.

To all whom t may concern: y

Be it known that I, JOHN ZIMMERMANN,

of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadel? phia and State ofPennsylvania,` have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVVarp-Printing Machines, whereof the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in warp printingmachines wherein thevcoloring matter is applied to the warp threads byvpattern-controlled mechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of the abovecharacter with devices whereby the warp threads as they passcontinuously through the machine, may be supplied uniformly withcoloring matter in aecordance with a predetermined pattern.

A' further object of the invention is to provide a printing device for awarp thread machine of the above character wherein the printing Vrollsare partly submerged in the coloring matter and wherein a device isprovided for evenly distributing the coloring matter on the surface ofeach printing rol said device being so constructed as to maintain auniform surface of coloring matter regardless of any inequality in thesurface of the said printing rolls.

A further object of the invention is to provide a printing device of theabove character, wherein the warp threads arecontinuously passed throughthe printing device, and the different colors applied simultaneously,with means for setting the printing color in the warp threads, plogetherwith dcvices for washing'the siz'ng and surplus color from the threads,and subsequently drying the same. f u

These and other' objects will in part beobvious, and will in part behereinafter more fully disclosed. 4 ln the drawings, which show by wayof illustration one embodiment of the invention: Figure I is a sideelevation of an apparatus having my improvements applied thereto; Fig. His an'enlarged side view of a portion of the printing device; Fig. lillisa detail showing in section one of the printing rolls and the meansfor causing the thread to engage the same; Fig. lV is a view in sectionshowing one end of the drying chamber and the means for washing the'thread; and lFig. V is a bottom plan View of one of the colordistributing devices.

.The invention consists generally in providing a supporting frame onwhich the beam containing the warp threads to be colored are mounted.The warp threads are led from this beam through a printing devvicewherein printing rolls, partly submerged in coloring matter, are causedby a pattern controlled mechanism to be engaged by the threads, thusproducing in colors on the threads, predetermined patterns, after which`said threads are passed through a steaming chamber where the colors areset and from the steaming chamber the threads are led through a washingapparatus which removes the sizing and surplus dye from the threads.After leaving the washing apparatus, the surface water clinging to thethreads is stripped therefrom pneumatically, after which the threads areled through a drying chamber. -The-threads arepassed continuouslythrough these several devices and are finally wound on suitable beams.

The printing devices for the threads consist of a'series of printingrolls each of which runs in a color box so that the rolls are partlysubmerged in the coloring matter. A distributing device coperates witheach printing roll to maintain a uniform coating or layer of thecoloring matter on a roll at the region where the threads are broughtinto contact with the rolls.

rlhe washing apparatus consists of a plurality of trays over' which thethreads are led and intermittently operated arms which immerse thethreads in the water contained in the trays as they move along over thesame. The surface water clinging to the threads is stripped therefrom byjets of air located in the path of travel between the washing apparatusand the drying chamber.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the improved apparatusconsists of a sup. porting frame 1, on which is mounted a shaft 2carrying the supporting beam 3 for the threads to be printed, whichthreads are indicated at t. This supporting frame l is connected to theframe 4i of the printing device.

IThe warp threads pass over suitable tension rolls 5 and 6 mounted inthe frame 4 of the printing apparatus and then around a feed roll rThisfeed roll is intermittently operated by a pawl and ratchet mechanism 8.The pawl is carried by a swinging rock arm 9 which may be operated inany suitable way. It is understood that the warp threads pass side byside over the feed roll 7 As herein shown, the printing apparatusincludes a series of color boxes 10 which are mounted on a carriage 11having supporting wheels 12 adapted torun on tracks 13. These tracks areso disposed that the carriage may be run underneath the supporting frame4 of the printing apparatus and the printing rolls properly positionedbeneath the Warp threads. Each color box 10 is provided with a colorroll 14 which is mounted in suitable bearings in the box. This printingroll is preferably formed with a continuous printing pad covering 15which may be of any desired character. The roll -is mounted so that itruns partly submerged in the coloring matter which is indicated at 16 inFig. III of the drawings.` Each o f these color boxes may be suppliedwith a diEerent coloring matter and each printing roll extends the fullWidth of the printing frame so as to be located directly underneath allof the warp threads passing through the printing apparatus.

The supporting rolls for the warp threads at the leading-in side'of theprinting apparatus and the guide roll 17 at the other sideof theapparatus, are so positioned relative to the carriage supporting thecoloring boxes and the printing rolls that the normal path of travel ofthe threads through the printing apparatus is slightly above the surfaceof the printing rolls, as clearly shown in Figs. II and III.

Coperating with each printing roll is a series of impression members 18.There is an impression member for each line of warp threads "passingover the printing rolls and there is an impression member located aboveeachthread for each printing roll. As shown in Fig. II of the drawingthere are eight series of impression members and coperating with theseeight series of impression members are eight printing rolls, each ofwhich runs in a separate color box as above noted. These impressionmembers, as shown in the drawings are arranged-so as to be movedvertically by supporting cords 19 actuated by a -suitable jacquardpattern mechanism. This pattern mechanism operates to lower theimpression members in accordance with the pattern desired. When theimpression member is lowered it drops upon the warp thread and forcesthe same down into contact with the surface of the printing rolldirectly underneath the lowered impression member. When an impressionmember is lowered so as to bring the warp thread into contact with theprinting roll, said thread will be coated or printed with the coloringmatter of the roll with `end of the printing roll and are pivotallysupported by brackets 21 attached to the color box. These eveners ontheir under faces are formed with projecting ribs 22 and said evenersections bear. by. gravity upon the surface of the printing roll.l Theheight of these ribs determines the thickness of the layer of coloringmatter permitted to remain on the surface of the printing roll. As theroll rotates in the direction of the arrowin Fig. III, the lower edge ofthe 'evener will scrape off all the coloring matter, except that whichpasses underneath the same and is thus distributed in a uniform layerof.I coloring matter throughout the entire length of the printing roll.If there should be slightly uneven places in the surface of the roll,inasmuch as the evener coniprises several sections andv extends from endto end thereof and has a straight edge underface, the surface' of thecoating material left on the coating roll will be smooth and withoutirregularities.y By the above construction of the distributing device,the printing rolls may be caused to rotate directly in the coloringmatter and an even coating of coloring matter supplied to the warpthreads. It will be understood that each -printing roll is provided witha sepalrate distributing device. The printing rolls are intermittentlyrotated by suitable intermeshing gears mounted on the ends of therollers and these gears may be driven from the feeding roll 7, throughan intermediate gear 23. It will be understood of course, that adjacentprinting rolls are rotated in opposite directlons as each printing rollis geared to its adjacent fellow.

The distributing devices are positioned relative to the direction ofrotation of the printing rolls so as to engage the coloring matter onthe printing rolls before the printing rolls come into contact with thewarp threads. y

After leaving the printing apparatus, it is desired to pass the warpthreads with the coloring matter thereon to a steaming chamber so thatthe coloring matter may be set in the threads. In Fig. I of thedrawings, I have shown a steaming chamber 24. The warp threads afterpassing over'the guiding roller 17 are led over a guiding roller 25carried by a bracket attached to the outer wall of the steaming Ichamberand are then led into the steaming chamber, the threads running back andforth horizontally over the guiding rolls/26 at the opposite ends of thesteaming chamber. Said steaming chamber is supplied with steam throughthe `piping 27.

The threads after leaving the steaming chamber pass over a guidingroller 28' and thence through a washing apparatus. This washingapparatus consists of a series of pans 29 and the threads pass overthese pans and about a guiding roller 30 at the other end of the mainframe ofthe apparatus.. These pans are kept supplied with a continuousflow of Water through a pipe 31 which discharges into' each of the pansand the overflow from the pans is received by the trough 32 whichextends underneath the ans. p Associated with each pan is a cross shaft33 carrying oppositely extending arms 34 and 35. These arms carrypaddles 36 which extend `from side to side of the apparatus. The armsare oscilla-ted by means of links 37 which coperate with suitableeccentrics 38 on the driving shaft 39, see Fig. 1V. As the arms areoscillated, rst the paddle carried by the arms 34 will engage thethreads and immerse the same in the water in the pans and then thepaddle carried by the arms will engage the threads and direct theircourse beneath the surface of the water so that they are immersed. Itwill be understood that although the threads are traveling continuouslyover the pans their course of travel will be constantly changed so thatthey are immersed beneath the` surface of the water in one region andthen another and this greatly facilitates the thorough washing of thethreads. Iny employing a series of independent trays in the washingapparatus a more thorough washing may be -obtained since' the dyes andsizing eliminated in one tray cannot be carried into Vthe next. c

After passing through the washing pans, the threads are subjected to ablast of air from pipe 40. The 'jets of air from the pipe on to thethreads strip the Water from the surface of the threads. The waterstripped from the threads at this point is caught in the trough 32. y

The threads after leaving the guiding roll 30 are carried through adrying chamber 41 and led over rollers lf2-4:2 at the opposite ends ofthe drying chamber. Pipe coils 43 extend across the drying chamber andserve as a heating means to assist in drying the warp threads. chamber,the threads are led over guiding feed rollers 44, thence over suitableguiding rolls 45 and 46, after which the warp threads are rewound onbeams 47.

From the above description it will be apguiding a plurality of war Afterleaving the drying' parent that the warp threads are passed throughaprinting device where they are uniformly printed in accordance with anydesired pattern, after which they are passed to a'steaming chamberwherein the coloring matter is set in the threads and thence the threadsare led to a washing device for removing the sizing and the surpluscoloring matter.- rlhe water clinging to the threads is removed to alarge extent by jets of air playing on the same and finally the threadsare dried and rewound for use in the looms. It is obvious that the warpthread above referred to may consist of one or more Warp threads.

It is also obvious that minor changes in the details of construction andarrangement of parts may be made without departing lfrom the spirit ofthe invention as set forth in the appended claims. v

Having thus described myl invention, l claim,

1. A Warp thread printing machine, including in combination a. printingroll havlng a continuous printing surface, means for supporting coloringmatter in contact with the lower surface of the printing roll, means forevenly distributing said coloring matter on the surface of said roll,means for path normally above the printing roll and pattern controlledimpression members for causing the warp threads to Contact with theprinting roll.

2. A warp thread printing machine, including in combination -a series ofprinting rolls, a color box for each roll, means for supporting 'therolls whereby the same are partly immersed in the coloring matter, adevice coperating with each printing roll for evenly distributing thecoloring matter on the upper surface of the roll,.means for guiding aplurality of warp. Vthreads in a path normally above the printing rolls,said threads extending transversely across the same and patterncontrolled impression members for causing the warp threads to contactwith any one of the printing rolls.

3. A warp thread printing machine, including in combination, a printingroll having a continuous printing surface, means for supporting coloringmatter in Contact with the lower part of said printing roll, adistributing device including a member extending lengthwise of the rolland having means for holding said member spaced from the surfacethereof, means for guiding a plurality of Warp threads in a pathnormally a ove the printing roll, and pattern controlled devices forcausing said threads to Contact with the printing roll.

4. A warp thread printing machine, including in combination a printingroll having a continuous printing surface, a color box for said roll,means for supporting the threads in a roll so-that the lower partthereof only is immersed in the lcoloring matter, a distributing deviceincluding a member extending lengthwise of the roll, transverse ribsmounted on the lower face of said member and adapted to engage the rolland hold said member a predetermined distance from the surface of theroll, means for guiding a. plurality of warp threads in a path normallyabove the printing roll and pattern controlled devices for causing saidthreads to contact with the printing roll.

5. A warp thread machine including in combination a plurality ofprinting rolls arranged side by side, a color box for each roll, meansfor supporting the rolls` whereby each is partly immersed in thecoloring matter in itsrespective boX, means for connecting the printingrolls whereby theyare simultaneously rotated, a distributing device foreach roll, said distributing device Yincluding a member extending fromend to end of the roll and having ribs on its lower surface engaging thesurface of the roll whereby said member is held a predetermined distancefrom the surface of the roll, means for guiding a plurality of warpthreads transversely across the rolls in paths normally above` said rolland pattern controlled devices for causing said threads to contact withany one of' said rolls.

6. A warp thread printing machine includingin combination a printingapparatus comprising printing rolls, and devices for causing the warpthreads to engage the printing rolls, a series of washing pans overwhich the threads are directed, intermittently operated arms normallydisposed over said threads and movable into engagement with the threadsfor immersing the threads in said pans, and a drying chamber forreceiving the threads after they leave the washing pans.

7. .A warp thread printing machine including` in combination a printingapparatus comprising printing rolls,'and devices for causing the warpthreads to engage the printing rolls, a series of washing pans overwhich the threads are directed, intermittently operated arms normallydisposed over said threads and movableinto engagement with the ,threadsfor immersing the threads in said pans, means for directinga blast ofair against the threads for stripping the surface water therefrom, and adrying chamber for receiving the threads after they leave the strippingmeans.

8. A warp thread` printing machine including in combination, a printingapparatus comprising printing rolls and devices 9. A warp threadprinting machine in-v cluding in combination, a printing apparatuscomprising printing rolls and devices i fory causing the warp threads toengage the printing rolls, a steaming chamber for receiving the threadsafter they leave the printing rolls, a plurality of Washing pans over`which the threads are directed, intermittently operated arms forengaging the threads adjacent onel end of said pans and then the otherand moving the same beneath the surface of the water, means fordirecting a blast of air against the threads for stripping the surfacewater therefrom and a drying chamber for receiving the threads afterthey pass said stripping means.

10.` A warp thread printing machine including in combination a printingapparatus comprising printing rolls, devices for causing the warpthreads to engage the printing rolls, a steaming chamber for receivingthe warp` threads after leaving the printing rolls, a series of separatewashing pans over which th'e threads are directed iny succession,intermittently operated devices disposed over said threads and movableinto engagement with the threads for immersing the threads in said pans,and a drying chamber for receiving the threads after they leave thewashing pans.

11. A Warp thread printing machine including in combination a printingapparatus comprising printing rolls, devices for causing the warpthreads to engage the printing rolls, a steaming chamber for re- JoHNZIMMERMANN.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON.

